Flightblogger gives details of Boeing's upcoming 787 production hold

Boeing's plan to hold parts deliveries into Everett for the second time this year became more clear today when Flightblogger posted details for the plan. Airplane 27, whose parts will be delivered in about a month, will be the last airplane to enter final assembly for 6 weeks.

The main impetus behind the temporary stop is to allow suppliers to catch up with the rest of the supply chain. There is still a lot of travelled work flowing into Everett mostly coming from Boeing's North Charleston plant. The ultimate aim is to have all parts arriving from suppliers into Everett to have a 100% completion rate starting with airplane 28 (ZA232) for Air India. Flightblogger says that suppliers of items such as doors, floor grids and wiring (with the floor grids being the most critical) are holding up the ability for parts to be delivered fully complete into Everett.

Flightblogger ends with two important points. The first is that when airplane 28 arrives at Everett it will signal that start of production going to almost 3/month. Flightblogger ends with this second (and most important) point:

"Yet, the question remains for Boeing: As the ramp up continues toward building 10 aircraft per month byt the end of 2013, how does the company avoid overwhelming its supply chain forcing additional halting stops and starts on its road ahead?"

This question can only be answered by the supply chain that Boeing is quite dependent on.

Read more:

Airplane 28 to follow six-week hold, 787's chance to catch up

Lastly, Boeing announced that they have settled on a site in North Charleston, SC for it 787 interiors manufacturing facility. This facility will manufacture interior parts such as stowage binds, partitions, cockpit doors and other items. Boeing expects the facility to start construction by the end of the year and should be ready in time to support the final assembly of the first 787 to roll off the North Charleston line by the end of 2011/early 2012. The facility will be 10 miles away from the final assembly line and will ad about 150 jobs to the region. Boeing is also planning to manufacture the 787 tail for North Charleston assembled 787 on site at the South Carolina facility. Currently, the tail is built at a facility in Washington State and will continue to assemble the tails for Everett built 787s.

Here's Boeing's press release:

Boeing to Manufacture Certain 787 Interior Parts in North Charleston, S.C.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., July 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced that it has chosen North Charleston, S.C., as the location for its new 787 Dreamliner interiors fabrication facility. In addition, Boeing will purchase land from Stone Mountain Industrial Park Inc. BRPH will design the facility, and Pattillo Construction will provide construction services. Employees at the facility will manufacture and assemble airplane interior parts.

"This decision is another significant step toward creating a solid aerospace presence for future generations to come in South Carolina," said Ray Conner, vice president and general manager, Supply Chain Management and Operations, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The selected location for our new interiors facility will provide us with the continued flexibility we need to leverage our production capability and meet the needs of our 787 customers."

The new fabrication factory will be 10 miles (16 km) from Boeing's 787 final assembly and delivery site in North Charleston. The close proximity of the two facilities will help improve the efficiency of the final assembly and delivery process in South Carolina.

The interiors fabrication facility, which was first announced in May, is expected to create more than 150 new jobs.

At the new facility, the Interiors Responsibility Center South Carolina team will manufacture 787 interior parts, including stowbins, closets, partitions, class dividers, floor-mounted stowbins used by flight attendants, overhead flight-crew rests, overhead flight attendant crew rests, video-control stations and attendant modules.

Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Boeing Increases its Charleston, SC presence...sets up 787 interior parts manufacturing center

Boeing just announced that they will be expanding their footprint in the North Charleston area by establishing a manufacturing center for interior 787 parts (things like galley door, dividers, secure cockpit doors, video workstations, etc.). The Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina will be an extension of Boeing's Interior Responsibility Center which is in Everett.

The new facility will make interior parts for the 787 that are manufactured in South Carolina. Here's Boeing's press release:

News Release Issued: May 3, 2010 12:00 PM EDT

Boeing to Manufacture Certain 787 Interior Parts in South Carolina

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that it has chosen South Carolina as the location for fabrication and assembly of airplane interior parts to supply the 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery site currently under construction in North Charleston, S.C. The company is reviewing potential sites for the new airplane interiors facility and anticipates making a final decision by midsummer.

The new facility, Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina, will be located near the North Charleston final assembly and delivery site. As many as 150 employees will work at the new interiors facility, which will serve as an extension of the existing Interiors Responsibility Center in Everett, Wash., leveraging the opportunities of a single, integrated production system. This decision is part of Boeing's plan announced in 2009 to provide an independent sourcing stream for 787 final assembly and delivery in South Carolina. The close proximity of this new facility to Boeing's Charleston site will help improve the efficiency of the final assembly and delivery process in South Carolina.

"By expanding Boeing's footprint in South Carolina, we enhance our existing foundation with Boeing Charleston and further contribute to the growth of aerospace in the region," said Ray Conner, vice president and general manager, Supply Chain Management and Operations, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Ultimately, the decision we made in 2009 builds on our overall strategy to successfully meet our 787 customer commitments and to optimize our production capability."

The Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina team will manufacture 787 interior
parts, including stow bins, closets, partitions, class dividers, floor-mounted stow bins used by flight attendants, overhead flight-crew rests, overhead flight attendant crew rests, video-control stations and attendant modules.

"Recognizing the superior quality of the products and services provided by our Interiors Responsibility Center in Everett, Boeing believes this extension is an important step in ensuring that we maintain a high level of consistency and quality in our production system," said Conner. "In the long term, we are strengthening our position in the aerospace market and ensuring that we remain competitive as a company."

Located within the Boeing Everett complex, the Interiors Responsibility Center is a focused area of excellence for the design, manufacture, assembly and integration of a wide range of interior systems for production, aftermarket and spares for Boeing commercial jets. About 1,380 people work at the IRC producing products that include crew rests, doors and doorway linings, overhead stow bins and floor-mounted stow boxes, life raft boxes, closets and partitions, secure flight deck doors, video control centers, purser work stations, dry galleys, ceilings, sidewalls, decorative laminates and proximity lighting. Engineering integration services provide customer interior solutions from concept product design through project management and certification.